Homepage

There are eight vulture species in southern Africa. With an average decline of 62% in their populations over the past 30 years, and with six of the eight species recently up listed to critically endangered, the future of our vulture populations is looking bleak.

Environmentalists, conservationists and researchers are waging a desperate fight to save these birds. Project Vulture was developed as an platform to bring the efforts of these dedicated individuals and organisations together.

In 2013, more than 1440 vultures were poisoned in southern Africa. This alarming rate combined with other threats has forced many vulture populations down to critical levels. So much so, that if this high mortality rate continues, we may see these majestic birds disappear from South African skies forever.

Vultures are an important ecological component, occurring at the top of the food chain. Healthy vulture population numbers are a clear indication of a well balanced environment. Vultures also play an important cultural, economic and aesthetic role, and are a symbol of our national heritage.

The vulture performs a number of important tasks which are vitally beneficial to humans, as well as the environment at large. These tasks include their “clean-up” properties; ridding the environment of decomposing carcasses. This prevents the spread of diseases such as anthrax, brucellosis and rabies. In India, the eradication of vultures through poisoning has been responsible for the ongoing rabies epidemic.

The Maloti-Drakensberg Vulture Project is a long term recovery project, requiring dedicated monitoring programs, the implementation of conservation actions, as well as public awareness and support.

Cape Vulture landing

Bearded Vulture in flight

Cape Vulture in Flight

The Zululand Vulture Project was initiated to provide guidance on the conservation management of vultures in Kwazulu-Natal, according to the Kwazulu-Natal Vulture Conservation Strategy.

If effective recovery systems are not put in place and the slaughter of these raptors continues then it is but a matter of time, sooner rather than later, before this vital ecological component and protected species disappears from our skies forever.

Archives

Archives

Copyright

Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited other than the following:
• you may print or download to a local hard disk extracts for your personal and non-commercial use only
• you may copy the content to individual third parties for their personal use, but only if you acknowledge the website as the source of the material
• you may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Project Vulture and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.

Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of Project Vulture. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, Project Vulture takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.